The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-18
DETROIT'SsDOUBLE TRAGEDY
A Narrative Which Reads Like a Chap
ter of Wild and improbable Fiction.
Man Deprived Of His Property by His Chill
dren Commits Suicide, and His Paramour
Is Found Dead at Almost the Same Hour.
Special to the 1ndianapolis Journar.

Special to the 1ndianapoIis Journal.
DETROIT, Mich, Nov. 17.-Capt A. FL Mills,
a wsll-known vesseIman, shot himself at his
home on jefferson avenue this evening. Cap
tain Mills once the owner of the finest line
of harbor tugs here Several years ago his son,
VIM. A., secured, by some means, two of his
best tugs and set up an opposition business.
The Captains remaining tugs were decided to
his wife Three years ago his wife, Sarah E.,
died. leaving the old Captain as executor of the
will, which devi sed the property to three
younger children-Mary, Andrew and Agnes.
Mrs. Mills was niece of Ex-Governor Morgan,
of New York. and the Captain had great eXpec-
tations of property from that source causing
him live rather highly. The Morgan
estate did not pan ont ry greatly. and Mr..
Millss share paid in Wabash bonds at par.
though they were worth only 46 For a couple
of years the old pooled his tug business
with his son, William A. but the latter thought
he could do better alone and this year left the
father TO look after himself The old Captain
bought his coal in Windsor, on the Canadian
side of the river, and, getting into debt for 1t,
his tugs were seized by the judge of the Mari
time Court for the fuel bin Then the daughter,
Mary, began TO fear that the property was melt
ing too fast, and that Ter father was getting too
seriously involved, and she determined to secure
the appointment of administrators Three
days ago she put in petition asking for the re-
moval of her father from the charge OF her
mothers estate, on the ground that
he had qualified. Her petition
granted. and C. j. Berry. lawyer, was APP
pointed administrators. To-day Berry made af-
fdavt that Captain Mills unlawfully hold
ing some of the property At o'clock he went
TO call on the Captain, and had not got out of
the house, after stormy interview. when a pls-
tol-shot rang from the old mans room. he had
blown out his brains, and was found dead on the
floor. with smoking pistol beside him. II is
civ mt fhar he h0t Salf Init an
will be held. The ball entered the head back of
the left ear, and the revolver was held so close
to the head as to burn the hair. He had been
sitting at table. writing, and his pen lay by
the right side of his chair. These facts lead to
ugly suspicious in some minds of foul play.
A new mplicaton was ADDED to the Mills case
by TIL finding of the dead body of Mrs. Austin
Rising, wife of the manager of Captain Mlllss
tug line in her bedroom on East sConeress
street but few blocks from the Mills residence,
tonight. It has long been a matter of rumor
that Captain Mills was unduly familiar with his
managers wife. This afternoon he teephoIed
to Mr. Rising that he wanted to see him
about the tugs and would meet him on the
dock at o'clock. This was about half
past 4. Immediately afterward the Captain
went to Mrs Rising's residence. Shortly after
8 he was to rush out of the Rising residence
and hasten toward home. About half past 3
o'clock Mr.. Rising went home with a male COM
paniou, and the two drank very freely of whisky.
Policeman Mulhoand, hearing their noise.
looked through the blinds and saw
Rising, after drinking. take up
He came out Immediately, and the
two men. after taking another drink, went to
Captain Mills's residence Rising returned
home alone about half past 10, and going to his
wife's room for the first time found her dead body
She lay the bed with her head ridded with
bullets and her blood and brains shattered over
the floor and walls. He rushed out and shouted
for hep. Officer Mulholland came up and ar
rested Rising on suspicion of having killed his
wife. Rigor mortis had already set in, showing
that she had been dead some hours.
from q Can't. stone,
of the steam yacht Leila. that Mills had quar-
rel with Mrs Rising some appointment
which he professed to believe she had made with
another man. Mills told Stone, whom he met
coming out of the house. that she -wo2Id
keep the appointments, for he
had torn her jacket up. The jacket was
valuable one, and present from
Mills. 1t found in the house tonight, torn
in shreds. It would seem that Mills had killed
mis- mistress and then gone home and shot him
self. Mrs Rsing's body has been taken to the
morgue for examination of the number and
character of the wounds. Rising is confined in
police station, though the coroner believes
him innocent of any knowledge of the crime.